1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in manually operative opening devices as used in connection with the top of a metallic beverage can. Certain of the known devices for the purpose include a hinged-end tear flap formed by scoring the can top in a manner whereby--by finger depression thereon from above--the tear flap (except an unscored portion which provides a hinge) is torn from the can top and finger-depressed downwardly into the can to produce a pouring or drinking opening. The advantage of bending the tear flap into the can resides in the fact that there is no throw-away part to harm the ecology, nor any outwardly projecting part--at or adjacent such formed opening--which could conceivably cause physical injury to the user. However, certain disadvantages outweigh the mentioned advantages in that--when the tear flap is finger-depressed into the can--there is the risk of cutting the finger on the raw metallic edge which surrounds a major portion of the formed opening, and--additionally--insertion of the finger into such formed opening, and hence into the can, may cause contamination to the contents of such can. The present invention was conceived in a successful effort to provide a pull tab beverage can opener which--while retaining such advantages--overcomes the described disadvantages.
2. The Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,301,434; 3,420,398; 3,618,815; 3,653,535; 3,908,856; 3,952,914 and 4,015,744 represent the most relevant prior art known to applicant.
The above prior art--considered singly or together--does not anticipate, nor suggest as obvious, the particular structure of the herein-claimed pull tab beverage can opener, and applicant has no knowledge of any prior art disclosing such particular structure.